1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel and pneumatic tire assembly which comprises an essentially one-piece wheel rim and a pneumatic tire. The rim is provided with rim shoulders for receiving the tire beads, and is provided with support surfaces which during a tire emergency operation receive the inner surface of the tire carcass when the tire is under inflated or deflated. The pneumatic tire essentially comprises a carcass, especially a radial carcass, and has tire beads, side walls, and a tread which is reinforced with a belt-like reinforcing insert, and which is provided with a tread profiling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The vehicle wheel includes not only rims of the type having radially outwardly disposed rim shoulders, a rim base, and an annular emergency support member disposed in the base, but also rims of the type having radially inwardly disposed rim shoulders and a radially outer free rim surface which in the event of an emergency operation forms the support surface for the tire.
The pneumatic tire is constructed in conformity to its rim, and can include on the one hand known standard pneumatic tires, or on the other hand tires which differ therefrom in that they have radially and axially inwardly formed tire beads with radially outer bead seating surface to which are connected the side walls. In the event that the emergency operation comes into play for a pneumatic vehicle tire which has become under inflated or deflated, the central region of the inner surface of the carcass contacts the rim support surface, where it is supported. In order, in this emergency operation state, to assure that the vehicle can reliably be driven further at a lower, yet adequate, speed, a stabilization is provided of those surfaces of the rim and tire which rest against one another. In particular, the lateral movement between the tire and the rim support surface is to be prevented.
In order to provide a track or steering stability for the operation of the wheel and tire assembly, means are provided not only on the inner surface of the tire but also on the outer rim surface, for the rim support surface, which permit either a frictional or positive connection, and prevents the wheel and tire assembly from moving in an uncontrolled manner out of the prescribed direction of travel under the influence of the forces, especially component forces, which are brought about by the emergency operation.
For a vehicle wheel and pneumatic tire assembly of the aforementioned general type, an object of the present invention is to provide a structurally simple stabilizing means which can be integrated into the existing elements, which can be universally used for both types of tires and rims, which is rapidly and reliably effective, which causes no problems with regard to form, weight, imbalance, or space, and is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.